POV: Rowan

My heart drops. Rain starts to pour down on me, but I barely feel the droplets as they hit my skin. All I can feel is this... raw, dull, ache. An ache I was already familiar with: loss. But now, lucky me, I'd get to reacquaint myself with this numb sort of darkness, and discover parts of it I hadn't thought possible. 

I stare at Frankie through the tinted window, barely able to make out the shape of her head. I mouth "I love you," back, hoping that she can see-- but even more deeply, hoping that she could feel it. 

All I wanted was for her to throw the car door open, rush past Marley, and leap into my arms. We could escape into the woods, and live off of berries and rain-water. Our own twisted fairy-tale. The kind where the princess falls for the witch instead of the prince, and the witch teaches the princess how to draw power and strength from the tides of the moon. 

As far as living in the woods goes, I have a pretty extensive repertoire of survival skills, but Frankie would need to at least learn how to hike. She would run out of breath merely walking up the hill to the cabins. I could build a shelter, filter water, start a fire, and scavenge for food-- but we probably wouldn't last long via piggy-back. 

The social worker, who hadn't even bothered to show their face, starts the engine of the car. I glance around at everyone, desperate for somebody to do something. Blake won't look at me, and Taylor smugly makes normal conversation with some of the other girls I hadn't gotten to know. 

The windshield wipers whir to life, spitting muddied raindrops in my direction. Please don't fucking go. Don't fucking drive away. Don't take her away from me. Don't leave me here, alone. 

"Wait!" A voice yells. We all turn, facing Cal as she tears down the hillside towards the parking-lot, nearly skidding half the way along the wet grass. What could she possibly want now?

Marley holds a and up to signal the driver to hang tight for a moment, and I find myself holding my breath. 

Cal runs to the group, gasping for breath. Frankie cracks the door open, never one to be left out, and I long to run over and grab her by the hand. But I restrain myself. Because I'm an adult, and adults tend to behave like civilized people. Except for a large portion of the baby-boomer generation. 

"Spit it out, Cal," Marley mumbles, looking expectantly at Cal, who was violently trying to catch her breath. She must have run all the way from the cabins, and it was practically a mile away. 

She rests her hands on her knees and makes direct eye-contact with Frankie, whose face was now fully peering out the door, along with the nosy social worker. I bet she didn't get to see this every day. 

Frankie's eyes connect with Cal's and I feel a jolt between them. I look back and forth, jealousy washing over me. I couldn't wait to hear what this bitch has to say. 

"I gave Taylor the black eye," She gasps, fanning herself. Holy shit. 

A murmur runs through the group, and Taylor audibly scoffs. 

"Bullshit, Cal. You were there, you saw her!" She yells, grabbing Cal by the arm. I watch as her fingernails dig into her skin, leaving little half-moon indentations as Cal shrugged her off. She turns to Marley, who looked exasperated, and gave her the largest puppy-dog eyes I'd ever seen. Fucking hell. 

"Taylor made me punch her so that we could pretend that Frankie did it," She rushes out, making up for the time she wasted with her dramatic entrance. I cross my arms, my jaw nearly dropping. Why would she come clean?

"Frankie," Cal starts, breaking away from the group and approaching the group, throwing her sopping wet blonde hair over her shoulder. Frankie stands up and shuts the car door, giving Cal a quizzical look. She seemed just as confused as the rest of us. 

"When you kissed me the other night-- I felt something. I knew I couldn't go through with this. I'm so sorry," 

I'm sorry-- when she what?

Cal grabs a startled Frankie by the wrists, ignoring the fact that Marley was yelling at her to come over and explain herself, while Taylor was going off in her ear. I glance over at Blake, who offers me nothing more than a concerned look and a shrug. 

So much for Cal saving the day. 

"Cal--" Frankie starts, but Marley cuts her off, grabbing Cal by the arm. 

"What the hell were you thinking, Calla?" She mutters under her breath, seething. I could tell that she was embarrassed for having wrongfully punished Frankie. Seriously though, she didn't even bother to try to get to the bottom of the whole situation. 

"Marley," The social worker in the car came up behind her, already toting a comically-large umbrella. Marley lets go of Cal and greets her, smiling uncomfortably. I try to make eye-contact with Frankie, who was now completely drenched, but she was completely stunned. 

"Am I taking her, or what?" She mumbles to her, trying to keep the conversation private, but knowing there wasn't a lot she could do with all of us staring daggers at her. 

"No!" Marley barks, completely spinning out. "Frankie, get out of here. Cal, Tay-- we're heading up to the office. The rest of you, scram!" She shouts, looking angrier than I had ever seen her in the short time I'd known her. I bite my lip as everyone starts walking away, and feel the breath rush out of me as Frankie pulls me into a hug from behind. I giggle as we spin around, staring up into the sky as the rain creates a choreographed whirlwind around us. I lean back into Frankie and she holds me tight, breathing heavily. I could feel the fear still coursing through her body. 

"What the hell just happened," I mumble, letting my body go limp in her arms. She snorts, kissing the side of my head. 

"I haven't the slightest fucking clue," She replies, pulling away. "But we better get out of here," She mumbles, pointing her chin at Marley, the social worker, and the two bitches who nearly had Frankie sent away for good. They were all lost in heated discussion. I guess they couldn't wait to make it up to the office. Frankie grabs the small backpack of her belongings and slings it over her shoulder, grabbing my hand, and running for the hill. 

Free. For now. 

"Hey," I whisper to Frankie as we walk back to our cabin in a stunned silence. She glances at me, an eyebrow raised. "I guess you're stuck with me," I joke, squeezing her hand. She gives me a half-smile, leading me off the path and backing me up against a tree-- a slight reprieve from the rain that wasn't in any hurry to let up. 

"You're shaking," I remark, as she rests her hands against my shoulders. She bites her lip. 

"I guess I was scared," She admits, raindrops sliding down the bridge of her nose, drowning each freckle they pass. I reach up to wipe them away, and stare into her eyes. "I didn't want to lose you," She mutters, leaning in to kiss me. 

As her lips press into mine, though, I can't help but think about what Cal had said. The very words that had rescued Frankie. 

When you kissed me...

That hadn't exactly been part of our plan. 

And with those silly little words-- Cal was able to do the one thing that I couldn't. Make her stay. 

And it hurt. 

The camp was stuck indoors today. It didn't rain often in the summertime here at Camp Dunbrook, but every once in a while, a summer storm threatened the already shoddy foundation we were built on top of. This was one of those days. 

The entire camp was nestled in the mess hall, just in case any trees decided to come down, this building was the most structurally sound. Although, I noted, Marley hadn't returned, and neither had Cal and Taylor. I secretly hoped that they would be leaving with the umbrella-carrying social worker. They deserved it. Taylor and her coke problem and Cal and her wanton-ways could stay far the fuck away from us, thank you very much. 

Our campers had been excited to hear that Frankie would be staying, after all, but as the excitement wore off-- boredom came crashing in like a monster truck-- and it was chaos. The campers had had enough arts and crafts to last them a lifetime, and had been driven to chasing each other around the mess hall, nearly smacking their heads on the oblong tables. 

I sit back and watch as Frankie chases them around, trying to at least get a grip on our girls. 

I'm still in shock, to be honest. I mean-- I had barely come to terms with the idea that Frankie was leaving, and now I had to get used to the idea that Cal was her savior. And that she probably expected something in return-- something along the lines of the fucking kiss they shared the night we tried to bug her. 

I wonder if she'd still have the hots for Frankie if she knew we were just trying to get a recording of her admitting to what she'd done?

Ugh. 

Above all, though. I'm happy. I know in my heart that Cal can't come between us. I mean, I was the one with Frankie's face between my legs last night, wasn't I? And my name follows her I love you's and it's my hand that she squeezes before she falls asleep. 

But I still couldn't shake the icky feeling. 

"Baby, help," Frankie moans, flopping down next to me. She's out of breath from trying to get our wily girls in line, and I can't help but crack a smile. She looked so stinkin' cute with her face all flushed and her hair a mess. Almost like she did when we--

"Seriously, Ro!" She moans again, waving a hand in front of my face. She scoots in close. "Come on, babe, I know I wore you out last night, but--"

"Oh my god, shut up," I shove her away, my face burning bright red. This girl had no humility. She smirks, sliding right back up beside me. 

"Okay, okay. What's got you all bummed out on the sidelines, babygirl? We should be the ones running all over the place-- I'm staying!" The excitement in her voice warms my heart, but instead of a grin, I offer her a sad smile. She wraps her arm around me. 

"Is it about Cal?" She starts again, her voice lowered. I sigh, rolling my head back. 

"I guess," I finally reply, hating myself for finding something to be upset over right now. Frankie was right-- I could literally be swing-dancing with the girls right now, because my love is staying with me! 

"Baby, I promise you it meant nothing. I was trying to get that stupid confession out of her-- y'know, all spy-movie style..." She trails off, and I can't help but giggle, picturing Frankie in a James Bond movie. Beyond charisma, she didn't really have a lot of tact or grace, and would certainly be found out immediately. 

Well, I guess Cal still didn't know. And I was aching to tell her. 

"You'd be a bad spy," I give her a devious grin, finally starting to warm up. She raises her eyebrows and lightly pops her tongue, before nodding solemnly. 

"I did manage to fuck up a simple iPhone recording," She admits between jokingly-gritted teeth. I burst out laughing. 

"You did," I say through the shrapnel of a laugh attack. "I fucking love you," I mutter, my voice suddenly dropping low. She sneaks a kiss on my neck. 

"Good. I was starting to think you wanted crotchety-umbrella lady to take me away," She jokes, wrapping her arm around me. I gently slap her leg. 

"You know I would have died without you," I reply, a heaviness settling into my tone. She turns to me, her eyes stern. 

"And you know that I would have done everything in my fucking power to get back to you," She stares at me, her eyes are now burning with passion, and I believe her. She sighs. "Also, that's some toxic energy, babe. Co-dependence is unhealthy. You could thrive without me," She laughs, and I slap her leg again, then lunge in to tickle her, falling on top of her along the length of the bench, until I can feel my heart beating against hers. I lean in to kiss her--

"Babe," Frankie blushes. She glances around at the room full of people, namely, campers. 

Oh. Right. 

"Later," She mumbles, sitting up and resting her hand on my thigh. Fuck. 

"But for now, we need to keep these kids entertained," She continues, her jaw suddenly set in a serious, business-like manor. I furrow my brow. 

"How?" I ask, still keenly aware of her hand burning through my pants. God, please don't move, Frankie. 

She turns to me abruptly, her eyes twinkling. 

"Impromptu talent show!"